


String up some fairy lights and build me a blanket fort

by luckycapri24



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, M/M, Multi, Picnics, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, booseoksoon friendship, it's pure toothrotting fluff, wonwoo and jihoon friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-23 00:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15594657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luckycapri24/pseuds/luckycapri24
Summary: The blanket fort—and really that’s what it had to be. Soonyoung’s never done it as a child, but it looks exactly like what he thinks of when the word comes to mind—is really just one of Jihoon and Wonwoo’s fitted sheet carefully hung and tied down to the backs of their four dining chairs.It's not that impressive, but Soonyoung doesn't care. It's his and Jihoon's and that's all that matters.





	String up some fairy lights and build me a blanket fort

**Author's Note:**

> So this took me some time to finish because writer’s block hit me around the time the elevator door opened. This is just pure fluffy soonhoon, which is my favorite type of soonhoon. It’s been a long time since I’ve written for this ship, but I figured rotating between fandoms to write wouldn’t be too bad since it would help appease my hunger for other ships while I work on Petrichor. Plus, I could finally start airing out a bunch of WIPs I still have in my drive and finishing them up.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this since it’s been both a pleasure and a pain to write.

Thunder rumbled menacingly, causing Soonyoung to glance out at the window worriedly. Beside him, Mingyu paused his cutting and eyes the dense, dark clouds swallowing the sky.

“Hyung, it looks like there's going to be a thunderstorm later. Are you sure you and Jihoon-hyung can't postpone your picnic?” the tall man asked as he turned and resumed slicing the tiny cherry tomatoes for the packed lunch Soonyoung was planning to bring for his and Jihoon's outing.

Soonyoung shook his head. He carefully rolled the kimbap and began cutting it into pieces as he spoke, “We can't. We're both going to be swamped with projects the next few weeks. Ji has this song he has to finish producing as part of his final portfolio and I have to start getting ideas on what to choreograph for the year-end performance. Today and tomorrow morning are our only free days to go on a date.”

“Ah, that sucks, hyung,” Mingyu sympathized, “You guys are busy all the time that I don't know how you guys could do it. I see Wonwoo at least once or twice a week and I still don't like being apart from him.”

Soonyoung simply shrugged. He himself had the same thoughts when they first started dating. He knew that both of them had busy schedules and adding a relationship on top of that would mean they would have to sacrifice  _ something _ in order to make it work.

Their first month of dating had been a trying time and there were plenty of stress and fatigue that resulted in a few fights breaking out between the two of them. Soonyoung could remember a time when he wasn't sure that a relationship with Jihoon was a good thing, but eventually the two of them had sat down and discussed their relationship. Through that conversation they both learned just how their busy schedule was affecting each other and thus clarified their expectations out of the relationship. It had managed to lessen the pressure each of them were putting on themselves and learned to open up to each other more.

Now, as he gently plated the kimbap into the container, Soonyoung was glad they'd both decided to sit down, talk, and give their relationship a try rather than giving up right from the start. He wouldn't trade Jihoon or their relationship for anyone or anything in the world. Jihoon was so, so amazing to him, and adorable and helpful and kind and understood him better than anyone could. Soonyoung counted himself lucky to have met the man through their friends and, when he eventually gathered the courage to ask him out for coffee, was given a chance.

“Hyung?” 

Mingyu's concerned call of his name shook Soonyoung out of his thoughts. He glanced up with a questioning look that made the younger chuckle and gesture at the half-empty container of food Soonyoung had been staring at after he ran out of kimbap to put.

“You looked like you were deep in thought. I didn't want to interrupt you, but I figured you might wanna finish up here and get to Jihoon-hyung's apartment before it starts pouring. Or, you know, before you’re late.”

“Oh!” Soonyoung quickly checked the time, muttered a curse under his breath when he found it just an hour before the time he'd promised to pick up his boyfriend, and began to make another kimbap roll. He can delve into his memories later. Right now he had to finish the food.

Thank goodness Mingyu was here to help him.

 

* * *

 

Soonyoung tossed a quick farewell at Mingyu and called out to his other two roommates, Seokmin and Seungkwan, who were in the living room watching the newest episode of Masked Singer. “I'm going out with Jihoon! Don't expect me tonight!”

The two exchanged sly looks and, while Soonyoung tugged on his shoes, tossed him a few teasing remarks.

“Make sure to wrap it before you tap it, hyung!” Seokmin yelled.

Seungkwan snorted before adding, “And make sure the apartment is empty this time. I don't think Wonwoo-hyung and Jeonghan-hyung wants to hear you guys again.” He let out a startled yelp and ducked when a house slipper soared past by his ear, landing right on the coffee table with a loud smack.

“Hyung, stop! Save your energy for Jihoon!” Seokmin finished and the two let out giggles that only heightened in volume when Soonyoung flashed them his finger with a roll of his eyes.

Mingyu emerged from the kitchen, looking amused as he dried his hands on a dish cloth. “Hey, now. Leave him alone,” he nodded his head at the door, “And Soonyoung-hyung you should get going. The clouds look terrifying and you still have a fifteen minute drive to Jihoon-hyung's apartment.”

He disappeared again, re-emerging with the woven picnic basket, which he handed to Soonyoung who checked it. When he found everything in place, Soonyoung snapped the cover close and opened the door. He was about to step out when Seokmin interrupted him.

“Don’t forget to take the umbrella!” Seokmin gestured at the pastel green umbrella propped beside him.

“Right,” Soonyoung murmured. Instead of grabbing it and stepping out, however, Soonyoung put down the basket and held out his arms, spinning once slowly and asked, “I look fine, right? Not too over or underdressed?”

The trio shook their head. Mingyu walked closer and reached down to grab the basket, holding it out to him with a reassuring smile.

“You look fine, hyung,” Mingyu said.

Seokmin nodded seriously. “You look great. Jihoon-hyung's gonna love it. Honestly,” he huffed, “You're worrying like it's your first date with him or something.”

Pouting, Soonyoung accepted the basket. “I just wanna look good for my boyfriend. Is that a crime?”

“He’s so whipped,” Seungkwan whispered loudly, making Soonyoung toss him a half-hearted glare. The younger raised his brow, challenging him to refute his claim.

When Soonyoung kept silent, the other two chuckled.

“Fucking whipped,” Seokmin added for good measure.

“Fuck you guys.” 

“Somehow I don't think Jihoon-hyung would like that,” Mingyu joined in, causing the other two to burst out in laughter. He frowned as thunder rumbled in the distance and began steering Soonyoung out the door. “You need to go, hyung. Jihoon-hyung's waiting.”

“And you look great. Don't worry so much,” Seungkwan added.

“Right, okay. Thanks.” Soonyoung switched the basket into his other arm and grabbed the umbrella on his way out, turning to wave one last time before he finally left, Mingyu closing the door behind him.

Seungkwan raised a brow as another rumble of thunder broke the silence. “You don’t think they’re gonna go through with the plan to go outside, do you?”

Seokmin and Mingyu exchanged a look. “Hopefully not,” Mingyu murmured as he stared out the window.

“Soonyoung-hyung has more common sense than that,” Seokmin said with a sage nod. “And if not him then Jihoon-hyung has more sense than half of our group of friends combined.”

Seungkwan let out an amused snort, but found that he couldn’t quite disagree. Jihoon always  _ did _ seem to be one of the few in their group to have his priorities right.

 

* * *

 

Soonyoung let out a grumble as the clouds broke, spilling rain onto his windshield. He quickly turned his wipers on to try and clear his vision, succeeding little. 

Like the beginning of most rainstorms, the droplets of rain hit his windshield with vengeance, its quick staccato rhythm echoing inside his car. Glass blurred as water conquered it without care, indifferent to the wipers’ attempt to wipe it away and returning like a persistent pest.

Any hopes of holding the picnic now were shattered and, as thunder rumbled outside and lightning flashed, Soonyoung’s hopes of the rain being short-lived did too. Perhaps he should’ve guessed from how the clouds had been looming all day, but he’d always been an optimist at heart. It was something Jihoon had always found so attractive about him and what had made Soonyoung want to pursue their relationship even after their initial troubles.

The chime of his ringtone startled Soonyoung. Peering at the display of his car and seeing the familiar name, a small smile graced his lips as he pressed a button on the steering wheel to answer the call.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Soonyoung,” Jihoon’s soft voice greeted from his speakers. Even now Soonyoung couldn’t help the little flutter his heart does when he hears his name called out by Jihoon with so much love in his voice. Jihoon’s voice was worried when it spoke again, “where are you?”

“I’m driving right now, Ji. I’m about —” Soonyoung peers through his muddled windshield at the highway sign overhead, “—five minutes from your apartment.”

“Oh okay. Drive carefully, okay? Tell me when you turn the corner to my street. I’ll go ahead and let you drive.”

“Actually,” Soonyoung interjected before the call could be cut off, “do you mind staying on call for the rest of the way?”

A pause. Then, “Are you sure? Won’t you be distracted?”

Soonyoung hummed. “Yeah, but it’s the good kind of distraction.” His words garnered no response and he hastily added, “I like hearing your voice along with the rain. It’s really soothing.”

“...Like ASMR?”

Chuckling, Soonyoung nodded despite knowing Jihoon wouldn’t be able to see it. “Yeah. Just like ASMR.”

“You dork.”

“You love me.”

“...Unfortunately.”

“Aw, I love you too,” Soonyoung cooed. He straightened as he turned on his turn signal, shoulder-checking to make sure the way is clear before switching to the lane that would enable him to exit the highway. “I’m exiting the highway now. I’ll be there in a few more minutes.”

Jihoon hummed in reply. Soonyoung could hear the rustling of cloth from his side, causing his brow to raise.

“What are you doing?”

“I figured we should have an indoor picnic instead. It’d be a shame to waste the food you and Mingyu prepared.”

“Oh, okay. Is Wonwoo and Jeonghan-hyung there?” he asked.

“No. Wonwoo’s heading over to your place actually since Mingyu’s there. He just left a few minutes before I called. Jeonghan-hyung went out this morning with Seungcheol-hyung and Jisoo-hyung. I think they’re out on a date in Myeongdong and probably won’t be back tonight.”

“Oh, right. Seungcheol-hyung lives closer there. That makes sense. Hopefully their date wasn’t spoiled by the rain.”

“Knowing those three they’re probably in some cafe enjoying warm drinks and staring out at the window to fulfill their tumblr aesthetic.”

Soonyoung snorted.

“Then again,” Jihoon trailed off as more sounds of shuffling came from Soonyoung’s speakers. “I guess what we’re about to do constitutes as tumblr aesthetic as well.”

“And what’s that?” Soonyoung asked, curiosity ringing in his voice.

“You’ll find out when you get here. Be patient, Soon.”

He huffed, but brightened up when he turned into the block where Jihoon’s apartment was located. “I just turned the corner. Expect me in about a minute.”

The sounds of shifting cloth was louder this time, furthering Soonyoung’s curiosity. 

“I’m heading out now,” Jihoon said as the sounds of the door opening and closing echoed in the car.

“Do you have an umbrella? I don’t want you to get sick.”

The dismissive sound Jihoon made caused Soonyoung to roll his eyes. “I’ve got a sweater with a hood. I think I’ll be fine. I’m not the one who will be running out in the rain.”

“Yeah, but  _ I _ have an umbrella.”

“Seokmin’s doing, no doubt?”

“Maybe it was me.”

“So Seokmin then. I’ll have to send him a text later thanking him for not letting my idiot of a boyfriend get sick.”

Pouting, Soonyoung couldn’t help the whine that escaped him as he turned into the parking lot of the apartment.

“Just park in the spot next to ours.”

“You sure? Won’t the owner get angry?”

“No. Yugyeom just moved out last week. Something about moving in with his boyfriend?”

Soonyoung’s eyebrows raised in surprise as he maneuvered to park the car. “Really? Is it the Thai boy he’s always hanging out with? I bet you it’s him. Yugyeom’s brought him a few times to dance. Kid’s a good dancer.”

“That’s high praise coming from you,” Jihoon commented. “I’ll have to tell Yugyeom. He’ll probably be through the roof.”

Chuckling, Soonyoung unbuckled himself and reached over to grab the picnic basket. He threw a glance at the rain outside and then at the umbrella before deciding to just run the rest of the way. He couldn’t really be bothered to carry the umbrella with him and he’ll get wet either way with the way the rain was pouring outside.

“Okay, I’m here. I’m hanging up now. See you in a bit.”

“Mhm.”

He ended the call and turned off the ignition. Soonyoung tugged on his hood, gave the outside one more glance before he’s bracing himself and opening the door, clutching the basket on one hand and attempting to shield it with his body.

The onslaught of rain greeted him immediately and within seconds his jacket is soaked and his hair is pasted onto his head. Groaning, he slammed his car door shut and sprinted for the cover of the building, locking the car with a press of a finger as he ran.

Any attempts of looking his absolute best had been wiped out by the time he gets inside the lobby. With his shoes trailing water on the tiled floors and his hair and clothes sopping wet, Soonyoung didn’t find it hard to compare himself to a drowned cat. If the pitying looks the lobby receptionist was giving him didn’t confirm it, Jihoon’s surprised intake of breath and rush to get to him did.

“Ji—” Before he could talk, Jihoon’s shoving a towel he hadn’t noticed the man carrying onto his head and patting his face and his hair dry. He could hear the receptionist giggling, but couldn’t find it in himself to care, not when Jihoon’s gazing at him with such intense, concerned eyes. Soonyoung returned the intense gaze, causing Jihoon to briefly drop his eyes before it’s back on him, this time with a flare of anger and annoyance.

“You absolute idiot,” Jihoon hissed as he rubbed furiously at Soonyoung’s blond locks.

“Ow, ow, ow!”

“I can’t believe you’d go out there without an umbrella! Seokmin even made sure you had one! Actually—” here, Jihoon flicked his forehead with a frown. “—I  _ can _ believe it. It’s something you would do. Honestly! It’ll take you literally seconds to open it!”

Soonyoung interrupted any further argument by pressing his forehead against Jihoon’s and resuming his intense stare. Jihoon’s ministrations stutter into a halt, taken aback.

“I wanted to get to you as fast as I could. I was gonna get wet anyway with the way the wind was blowing. I figured I might as well get here as quickly as I could.”

Soonyoung pressed a soft kiss on Jihoon’s nose that causes the younger to wrinkle it in what he thinks to be his look of disgust. Only, it succeeds on further endearing himself to Soonyoung who still hadn’t stopped staring at his boyfriend with a fiercely fond look. 

A giggle from the receptionist caused the two to pull apart, Jihoon with embarrassment complete with reddened cheeks and Soonyoung with quiet satisfaction and love thrumming in his veins. 

As they began to make their way to the elevator, Soonyoung paused to apologize for the wet footprints he’d tracked all over their nice tiles.

The receptionist just waved him off with her hand, smiling all the way. “It’s fine. I can understand how you forgot with how excited you were to see your boyfriend. I’m the same with my husband.” When she sees the guilt still present in his eyes, she added, “Other people will be tracking mud and water in here all day, anyways. If not you then someone else would’ve made the first tracks. At least with you I got to see something cute  _ and _ got an apology!”

Soonyoung sent her a grateful look before he's whisked away by Jihoon, his wrist clasped by Jihoon's pretty fingers in a grip tight enough to be felt, but loose enough not to hurt.

The elevator ride up to Jihoon's floor is held in comfortable silence, Soonyoung stealing glances and lips threatening to burst into a large smile with every glimpse he takes.

“What?” Jihoon asked when he managed to catch one of them, his brow quirked in question. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Have I told you I love you today? Actually,” Soonyoung paused and turned to clasp Jihoon's fingers into his gently. “Even if I did it doesn't matter. I wanna say it again. Lee Jihoon, I love you.”

A startled flush bloomed on Jihoon's fair cheeks and the flustered man attempted to pull his fingers free, but Soonyoung held on tight.

“What brought this on?” Jihoon murmured quietly. His eyes flickered towards the floor and his nose scrunched cutely. Soonyoung fought the urge to press a kiss on his nose and instead brought Jihoon's fingers closer to his face, brushing his lips gently against the younger's knuckles.

“Seeing the affection and love the receptionist has for her husband just made me realize I wanted the same thing for us in the future. And,” Soonyoung gave him a smile brimming with love. “do I really need a reason to tell you that I love you?”

Jihoon opened his mouth to respond, but after a few seconds of silence, closed it again. He didn't try say anything after that, but the flushed cheeks and the way his hold on Soonyoung tightened more than made up for it.

Loving Jihoon had been an art of knowing the subtle looks and actions his boyfriend usually made in the stead of verbal words. For others, it might seem frustrating to have to do so much work just to love someone, but for Soonyoung it was seeing the result of all the work he'd done that made him happy. The more he was attuned to Jihoon, the easier it was to understand him without Jihoon having to say a single word. The knowledge that only  _ he _ could read his boyfriend this well and only  _ he _ could understand the subtle meanings in every movement and face his boyfriend makes only made him feel even more blessed. 

He was so, so lucky and every single moment he spent with Jihoon further cemented that feeling.

“I love you,” Soonyoung whispered against Jihoon's knuckles.

“I love you too,” Jihoon murmured back. He’s shy and the tips of his ears are painted red, but he maintains their eye contact and for Soonyoung it conveys so much more of Jihoon’s love than words ever could.

The elevator chimes open and the two pull apart. The sight of one of Jihoon's neighbours standing at the doors with a stunned look on her face greets them, but there’s not a hint of embarrassment shared between the two of them when they meet her eye. 

“S-sorry!” The girl stammered, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed red. Her hands waved anxiously as her eyes flickered about embarrassedly. “I can just take the next one! Um—have a nice day!” 

Before the poor girl could faint or begin bowing to them apologetically, Soonyoung tugged Jihoon out of the elevator. He attempted to reassure her with a gentle smile as he passed by, hoping to calm her a bit. “No need; this is our stop. Have a good day yourself.”

“R-right! Thank you!” The girl bowed one more and rushed into the elevator still flustered. She gave an erratic wave to them before the doors slid shut and Jihoon’s leading him away once more.

When they come to a stop in front of apartment seventeen, Soonyoung’s fully expecting Jihoon to unlock the door and usher him in and is wholly unprepared for the man to give pause and stare up at him.

Soonyoung brushed aside a strand of hair self-consciously. “What?”

“Nothing,” Jihoon murmured. He sounded hesitant, something Soonyoung isn’t used to seeing in his boyfriend’s demeanor, which made him concerned.

“Ji?”

Jihoon shook his head and turned to unlock the door. Quietly, he said, “I tried. I’m not sure if this is what it’s supposed to look like, but… well, you’ll see.”

The door opened with a click. Jihoon walked ahead and Soonyoung followed, confused. He’s not sure what Jihoon meant exactly, but when he caught sight of the dining table chairs in the living room covered by a large white fitted sheet with fairy lights strung up, he thinks he knows the reason for his boyfriend’s hesitance.

The blanket fort—and really that’s what it had to be. Soonyoung’s never done it as a child, but it looks exactly like what he thinks of when the word comes to mind—is really just one of Jihoon and Wonwoo’s fitted sheet carefully hung and tied down to the backs of their four dining chairs. There’s some kind of pole in the middle that’s holding the cloth up to give them some head room and, placed on the floor carefully like puzzle pieces, were a large amount of throw pillows both from the living room and from Jihoon’s bedroom. Twined around the pole and the legs of the chairs are a few meters of battery-powered fairy lights that Soonyoung had bought at a warehouse club for Jihoon’s too dark room, blinking cheerfully. 

Jihoon’s lips had curled up, small and pleased when Soonyoung gawked at him and the display.

“I got the pole from our broom,” Jihoon explained and gestured for Soonyoung to enter before him. “It’s one of those shitty dollar store brooms that you can unscrew from the brush. I just took the pole and looped some rope around it and tied it to the chairs so it doesn’t tip on us.”

Soonyoung quickly shed his wet shoes and jacket at the doorway. He took the towel Jihoon had used to dry his hair and began to pat himself dry before finally nearing Jihoon and the fort.

“Jihoon,” Soonyoung breathed as he crawled in. “you made this for us?”

The younger flushed as he took the towel Soonyoung had handed him and hung it on a hanger to dry. “Well, yeah. Like I said earlier, it’s raining outside and I didn’t want to waste the work you and Mingyu did by just eating it inside like normal. I figured this would be a good alternative to an outdoor picnic.”

“It is,” Soonyoung agreed, causing Jihoon to smile.

“Wonwoo gave me the idea for it. He helped tie the pole and the blankets down too before he left so I can’t really take credit for all of this.”

“Still, you put it to work and I think that’s pretty incredible.”

“You think so?” Jihoon tugged a laptop Soonyoung hadn’t noticed from the pillow beside him and began to set it up in front of them. “I also got a few movies and Netflix shows we can watch while we eat.”

At those words, Soonyoung began to set up the feast Mingyu and he had prepared, carefully setting them down atop the red checkered blanket he’d laid over the pillows for protection. “That sounds good. What are we watching?”

“I was thinking Black Panther.”

“We’ve watched that like ten times, Ji.”

“Then another won’t hurt, will it?”

“Fine, fine, but I get to pick the next one.”

“Okay. Here’s your optio—”

“Boruto! Let’s watch that!”

“We’ve watched that like three times,” Jihoon complained. “And besides, Naruto is so much better.”

“Then let’s watch Naruto.”

“ _ All _ of it?”

Soonyoung nodded, but then stopped at the exasperated look Jihoon had. “Well, it’s a lot of episodes so maybe let’s just watch a season.”

“Okay.”

“Great!”

The two drew closer together as they started to eat, laughter curling up in the air around them as they watched, and their mouths aching from the large smiles they both sported. 

And as the sky outside grew darker, the inside of their blanket became warmly lit from the strings of fairy lights reflecting from the white cloth. Their own faces are just as bright as they laid curled up into each other, Jihoon nestled between Soonyoung’s legs and his back to his boyfriend’s chest as they continued to watch, the plates now empty and pushed to the side, forgotten.

It wasn’t exactly the picnic they’d hoped for, but it was definitely a picnic to remember.

 


End file.
